Cloth-shaping apparatus



Sept. 16, 1969 F. PEAcocK 3,467,290

CLOTH- SHAPING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I -F/G.7,-

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INVENTOR:

Fan ux Pzncouc ATTORN (5 Sept. 16, 1969 F. PEACOCK CLOTH-SHAPING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1. 196"} x m: r N0 .E w n ma. n P m 7 m A m o r W F United States Patent 3,467,290 CLOTH-SHAPING APPARATUS Frank Peacock, 5 Stretton Drive, Southport, England Filed Oct. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 400,749 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Oct. 8, 1963, 39,528/ 63 Int. Cl. D06c 15/00 US. Cl. 223-52 5 Claims The present invention relates to a new and improved garment manufacturing process and to the machine used in this process.

At the present time contouring in heavy or outer clothing is normally provided by cutting a small piece out of the material, where it is desired to provide contouring, e.g., to provide blade or bust provision and thenstitching up the slit or hole to provide a convex or concave position in the cloth.

According to the present invention there is provided a process for providing shape or contours in cloth, which comprises restraining the boundary of an area of cloth which it is desired to shape, against movement, and using a shaped forming member to apply mechanical pressure to said area so as to deform said area to the shape desired.

Preferably steam is also applied to said area. Steam may be applied to said area before, during or after the application of mechanical pressure. The steam is preferably applied at a steam pressure of 20 to 40 lbs./ sq. inch.

It is also preferable that a vacuum is applied during or after the application of mechanical pressure by the forming member. More preferably a vacuum is applied after the application of both mechanical pressure and steam. Preferably a vacuum of from 3 to 8" and more preferably from 5 to 7" of mercury is applied.

There is also provided according to the present invention an apparatus for putting shape into cloth, comprising a means for restraining the boundary of an area of cloth against movement and a means of applying pressure to said area of cloth.

The edge of the area of cloth is preferably held in a clamp, said clamp conveniently comprising a first member and a second member, each of said first and second members having preferably identical holes therethrough which define said area of cloth.

Normally the area of cloth to be shaped is circular or elliptical though areas of other shapes may be used.

Preferably said first member comprises a flat surface, e.g., a table top, having a hole of the desired shape therethrough. A closure member may be provided for said hole if desired, the closure member being in the open position during the application of pressure. The cloth is placed in position on said flat surface with the area to be shaped positioned above said hole. The second clamping member is then moved into position by means of a foot treadle or other means, to clamp the cloth. The former may then be passed through the hole in said second member to contact said area of cloth and thus apply pressure thereto. The portion of the former which contacts the cloth is desirably of the same shape as the shape into which it is desired to make the cloth.

Preferably, the former is heated by any suitable method such as by passing steam through a passage in the former. A further means of heating the former is by an electric element. Further, if desired the shaped portion of the former may be provided with steam outlets to allow steam to be applied to the cloth.

The present invention is particularly applicable to woven fabrics.

The present invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 of which shows an end elevation partly in section and partly cut away of one embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 of which shows a side elevation partly in section and partly cut away of the same embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 of which shows a plan view of the same embodiment, and

FIG. 4 of which shows an end elevation of the same embodiment showing the cloth being shaped.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a table top 10 on which there is mounted a framework 12 carrying a motor 14 having three earns 16, 18 and 20 mounted on its output shaft. The three earns 16, 18 and 20 are contoured to operate push rods 22, 24 and switch 26 respectively in a desired sequence. The table top 10 has a hole 28 therein. The hole 28 may be closed by a plate 30 which is connected by a pair of levers 32, pivoted to framework 12 at a point 34, to former 36 which is pivotally attached to levers 32. The plate 30 and the former 36 are connected by levers 32 that the plate 30 is lowered on lowering the former 36. Levers 32 are connected by a cross-bar 38 disposed immediately below push rod 24 for cooperation therewith. A clamping member 40 surrounds the hole 28 and is pivotally attached to framework 12 at a point 34 by a pair of levers 42. Levers 42 are connected by a cross-bar 44 disposed immediately beneath push rod 22 for cooperation therewith. A steam chamber 46 having a steam inlet 48 and a steam outlet 50 is disposed inside former 36. The surface 52 of the former 36 is perforated and steam may be applied to the surface by steam conduit 54 or a vacuum may be applied to the former surface 52 via conduit 56.

The former 36 and the plate 30 are biased into the upper position by springs S and S which act on levers 32. The clamping member 40 is biased into the upper position by spring S The operation of the apparatus shown in the drawings is as follows: The cloth C to be shaped is placed on the table top 10 with the portion requiring shaping disposed over the hole 28 (see FIGS. 1 to 3). Cam 16 rotates with the output shaft of the motor 14 and actuates push rod 22 thus, by cooperation with bar 44 causing levers 42 to pivot and move clamping member 40 into position clamping the boundary of the area of cloth to be shaped, in position. Movement of the clamping ring 40 into the clamping position (see FIG. 4 in which the clamping ring is for the sake of clarity shown not quite in its lowermost position) causes the spring S to be extended. Further rotation of the output shaft of motor 14 causes the cam 18 to actuate push rod 24 thus, by cooperation with bar 38, causing levers 32 to pivot and move plate 30 and former 36 downwardly. This movement of plate 30 and former 36 into the position shown in FIG. 4 causes springs S and S to be extended. Former 36 contacts the cloth C held in position by the clamping ring 40 and presses it into the shape of the former surface 52. Cam

20 is arranged to actuate switch 26 which operatesa reciprocating valve (not shown) in steam supply line 54. Cam 20 and switch 26 may be arranged to supply steam to the former surface 52 and thus to the cloth at any time before, during or after application of mechanical pressure to the cloth. A further cam and switch arrangement (not shown) is normally provided to control the application of a vacuum to the former surface 52 via conduit 56.

Preferably steam chamber 46 is continuously supplied with steam so that the former is at an elevated temperature throughout the operation. After pressing the cloth to the desired shape further rotation of the output shaft of motor 14 allows the former 36, plate 30 and clamping member 40 to return to their original positions under the influence of springs S1, S2 and S3 and the cloth C may then be removed and replaced by a new piece of cloth to be shaped.

The surface 52 of the former, the steam chamber 46 and any other parts of the apparatus which come into contact with steam are desirably made of or plated with a rust-proof or rust-resistant material, e.g., these parts may be made from Phosphor bronze. The conduits which must be flexible are preferably made of a plastics material, e.g., polytetrafiuoroethylene.

It is to be understood that many variations are possible in both the apparatus described above and the method of operation. For example the edge area of hole 28 may be provided with a reinforcing member 58. In another variation the former 36 and the plate 30 may be operated separately, e.g., the former 36 may be operated by a similar arrangement to that described above and the plate 30 may be operated by other means, e.g., a foot treadle. Also, if desired, compensating weights may be used in place of springs S S and S to bias the plate 30, the former 36 and the clamping ring 40 into their upper positions. Further if desired all the operations may be accomplished manually, e.g., by foot treadle operation. Also if desired the steam supply to the former surface 52 may also supply steam to the steam chamber 46. In this event a valve may be provided to connect and disconnect the steam supply to the steam chamber and the former surface as desired.

Switch 26 may be, e.g., a solenoid switch or if desired a mechanical actuating arm, lever button or similar device may be substituted therefor.

I claim:

1. A device for shaping an area of cloth which comprises a first member having a flat surface, a second member mounted in moveable relationship with said first member and moveable between a first position in which said first and second members are spaced from one another and a second position in which said first and second members are in clamping relationship, a first hole formed in said first member, a second hole formed in said second member such that when said first and second members are in clamping relationship said first and second holes are superimposed one above the other, a shaped member having a shaped working surface mounted in moveable relationship on said first member, said shaped member being moveable between a first position in which its shaped Working surface is disposed above the flat surface of said first member and a second position in which its shaped working surface is disposed below said fiat surface of said first member, the line of travel between said first and second positions passing through the holes formed in said first and second members, cam means cooperating with said second member whereby to move said second member from said first to said second position, means for biasing said second member towards said first position, cam means cooperating with said shaped member whereby to move said shaped member from its first to its second position, means for biasing said shaped member towards said first position, and means for actuating said cam means.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which said means for operating said cam means comprises an electric motor.

3. A device for shaping an area of cloth which comprises a first member having a fiat surface, a second member mounted in movable relationship with said first member and movable between a first position in which said first and second members are spaced from one another and a second position in which said first and second members are clamping relationship, a first hole formed in said first member, asecond hole formed in said second member such that when said first and second members are in clamping relationships said first and second holes are superimposed one above the other, a platform which closes the hole in the first member when the second member is in its first position, a shaped member having a shaped working surface mounted for movement with respect to the first member, said shaped member being movable between a first position in which its shaped working surface is disposed above the flat surface of the first member and a second position in which its shaped working surface is disposed below said flat surface of said first member, the line of travel between said first and second positions of the shaped member passing through the holes formed in said first and second members, cam means cooperating with said second member whereby to move said second member from its first position to its second position, means for biasing said second member toward its first position, cam means cooperating with said shaped member whereby to move said member from its first to its second position, means for-biasing said shaped member toward its first position, means cooperating with said platform to lower said platform as the shaped member moves from its first to its second position, and means for actuating said cam means.

4. A device for shaping an area of cloth which comprises a first member having a fiat surface, a second member mounted in movable relationship with said first member and movable between a first position in which said first and second members are spaced from one another and a second position in which said first and second members are clamping relationship, a first hole'formed in said first member, a second hole formed in said second member such that when said first and second members are in clamping relationships said first and second holes are superimposed one above the other, a platform which closes the hole in the first member when the second member is in its first position, a shaped member having a shaped working surface mounted for movement with respect to the first member, said shaped member being movable between a first position in which its shaped working surface is disposed above the flat surface of the first member and a second position in which its shaped working surface is disposed below said flat surface of said first member, the line of travel between said first and second positions of the shaped member passing through the holes formed in said first and second members and means cooperating with said platform to lower said platform as the shaped member moves from its first to its second position.

5. Apparatus for shaping a central area of a horizontally oriented body of cloth comprising, means (10, 40) for gripping peripheral portions of said cloth surrounding said area of cloth, horizontal cloth supporting means (30) located at an initial position substantially coplanar with and centrally of said gripping means to support said area of cloth, a shaped member (36) having a shaped working surface movably mounted with respect to said gripping means from a first position which is above said gripping means to a second position which is below said gripping means, and means (32) for moving said horizontal cloth supporting means from its initial position and out of the path of said shaped member in response to downward movement of said shaped member.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited 2,666,951 1/ 1954 Grove et 21. UNITED STATES PA N S 3,058,153 10/1962 Busch. 1,043,466 11/1912 Rowland 223-13 3214797 11/1965 et a1 Primary Examiner 1,530,001 3/1925 Kiwad 223-13 5 2 134 754 11 193 Flint et aL GEORGE V. LARKIN, Asslstant Examiner 2,251,477 8/ 1941 Wisman. 2,419,758 4/ 1947 Borkland. 2,521,388 9/1950 Maynard et a1. 10

US. Cl. X.R. 22312 

1. A DEVICE FOR SHAPING AN AREA OF CLOTH WHICH COMPRISES A FIRST MEMBER HAVING A FLAT SURFACE, A SECOND MEMBER MOUNTED IN MOVEABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FIRST MEMBER AND MOVEABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS ARE SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS ARE IN CLAMPING RELATIONSHIP, A FIRST HOLE FORMED IN SAID FIRST MEMBER, A SECOND HOLE FORMED IN SAID SECOND MEMBER SUCH THAT WHEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS ARE IN CLAMPING RELATIONSHIP SAID FIRST AND SECOND HOLES ARE SUPERIMPOSED ONE ABOVE THE OTHER, A SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A SHAPED WORKING SURFACE MOUNTED IN MOVEABLE RELATIONSHIP ON SAID FIRST MEMBER, SAID SHAPED MEMBER BEING MOVEABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH ITS SHAPED WORKING SURFACE IS DISPOSED ABOVE THE FLAT SURFACE OF SAID FIRST MEMBER AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH ITS SHAPED WORKING SURFACE IS DISPOSED BELOW SAID FLAT SURFACE OF SAID FIRST MEMBER, THE LINE OF TRAVEL BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS PASSING THROUGH THE HOLES FORMED IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS, CAM MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID SECOND MEMBER WHEREBY TO MOVE SAID SECOND MEMBER FROM SAID FIRST TO SAID SECOND POSITION, MEANS FOR BIASING SAID SECOND MEMBER TOWARDS SAID FIRST POSITION, CAM MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID SHAPED MEMBER WHEREBY TO MOVE SAID SHAPED MEMBER FROM ITS FIRST TO ITS SECOND POSITION, MEANS FOR BIASING SAID SHAPED MEMBER TOWARDS SAID FIRST POSITION, AND MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID CAM MEANS. 